Questions and Answers

Q:  Why should I hire a geriatric care manager?

A:  Care-giving is an intense experience and when it becomes too intense it can lead to burnout.  Symptoms of burnout include feeling overwhelmed and angry, feeling that others are taking advantage, feeling alone and resentful, and being able to do less for ones self.

Q:  How would it benefit me?

A:  Having a geriatric care manager will lead to less stress, reduced need for sick leave or vacation time in order to provide care.  The need to reduce work hours or the need to resign, retire or switch from full time to part time in order to provide care.

Q:  How do I recognize a Professional Care Manager?

A:  Look for individuals that have membership in the following associations:  GCM, NASW, APA, ASA, NACCM or CCMC.  Professional Geriatric Care Managers should have one of the following certifications: CMC, CCM, C-ASWCM or C-SWCM.

Q:  Why is it important to have a geriatric care manager?

A:  The number of older people is increasing and long term care management and chronic care management are not covered by Medicare and these types of services are considered discretionary services.  Women began to work out of the home and 75% of care givers are women.  Also 55% of all women work leaving not only children but older adults in need of care.  Despite the crushing emotional physical and financial burdens the US family has not abandon it’s elders.  Most Americans tend to live far from their older family members.  One third of all adult children in the US live at least 30 minutes away from their aging parents.  “Because the main system of support is still the family this leaves older people vulnerable if they have a crisis.”  “If the family lives far away, a crisis can turn into a mega crisis if there is no one to offer assistance.”

Q:  What about just using community based services?

A:  The voluminous and very fragment web of senior services continues to expand, tangle and unravel with no central point of entry and have mind-boggling rules at the federal, state and local levels.  A key function of your geriatric care manager is to help to tie together these services.

Q:  Why you can afford a Geriatric Care Manager?

A:  The "GCM" or Geriatric care manager is available 24/7 so that you don’t have to be.  GCM’s can save you money. A GCM is less expensive than the cost of plane fare if you fly into town when your parents say “everything is fine.” and you know it isn’t.  The GCM knows how to get around that “I’m saving for a rainy day” syndrome when your folks are drowning in their problems.  The GCM can do in two hours what it would take you two weeks to do.  You cannot afford to not have a geriatric care manager